Patra's Place will be mostly about my linen collection, but also about my SINS (Stuff I'll Never Stitch), UFOs (UnFinished Objects) and projects that I am currently working on. Since I created this first blog, I have diversified somewhat! You can see the list of my other blogs, and my favourite websites and blogs by other people, on the sidebar.

"It takes ages to finish a quilt you're not working on!"

Tuesday, July 19, 2011

Small scrappy quilt progress.

A few days ago, I posted a brief write up about a tutorial I found on Freda's Hive, for a quilt using small squares of fabric. I've had my pile of squares sitting on my table for almost a week, waiting until I'd finished the coffee cosy and the pinwheel block. Today was cold and wet, so after the housework was done, I set to work on my scrappy squares. I sewed two small squares to one big one as per the tutorial, then spread them all out to see if I could make any sense from them.
After moving them all around for half an hour or so, and photographing each layout, I ended up sewing them in rows, and rather than sewing the rows together like the tutorial, I chose to put a row of sashing between each row. I did this for two reasons: firstly, I'd used up most of my small scraps and didn't feel like pulling larger pieces of fabric out of my stash just to cut up into bits! Secondly, although I realise that scrappy quilts are meant to look like a jumble of colours and patterns, I still can't bring myself to have the whole lot in a mish mash like that! Hence the sashing. Now I just need to do a border in the same width in that blue, then I'll add one or more wider borders to it, to make it a reasonable size. I'm going to donate it to Jan Mac, who organises distribution of quilts to needy people both here in Australia and overseas.

yes, great way to use up the scrappy bits, and I definitely agree, the plain strips tie it all nicely together. Re the Op Shop article, no I told them I couldn't participate, waiting on another surgery appoint at the Austin for Vic unfortunately.... wait, wait, wait.....